Thirty. Bad

*Eleanora Elliot*

I smiled at Andrei as he adjusted his watch stepping into my room.

He gently sat on the side of my bed.

"I'm sorry. I've never... had a daughter. Uhm... you're their woman, they have their own way of... sorry my English... letting you do things. I'm not use to. But it's not my... p-place to uhm tell you what to do. I'm sorry. I'll do better." He said, his hand gently moved a loose strand from my bun out of my face.

My heart ached for Laura. Knowing he was a selfish man when it came to his wife.

That she had to suffer the consequences of falling for a man like him.

But my men knew better.

I knew better.

"Thank you." I said.

He gave a wobbly smile. But it was clear he wasn't used to apologizing.

Laura knocked before walking in.

Her pink lipstick was smudged a bit and I hid my smile.

But she gave a big smile to me.

Cupping my face as Andrei grabbed one of my hands.

"Thank you for listening." He told me.

"Of course." I nodded.

"I love you." Laura spoke in Russian, she said it to Hale and Lore often.

And I repeated it softly.

She looked so pleased when I didn't sound too awful.

"Goodnight." He said, squeezing my hand and stood, Laura gently fixing my hair before leaving my room.

And my guys came back not too long after.

They sat beside me and pet my hair, my face, my arms and hands, tracing lines on my torso until I was asleep.

It didn't take too long.

-

I strapped on my heels and stood.

Adjusting my fly aways in my ponytail, I was quickly out the door with Andrei.

He opened my door for me and I sat, he got in his side and we drove off.

He drove fast. Like his sons did. As if there were no such thing as a speed limit.

And I felt funny.

That ridiculous gut feeling when something may go wrong soon.

But we made it safe.

And he helped me out of the car.

Getting inside was what I've done before however we met another door way inside the already underground area and went down more stairs.

My spine straightened and I got the chills.

"What's this?" I paused before reaching the bottom stair.

"Business." He turned to me, offering me a knife.

"Uhm... I don't know-"

"Safety." He reassured.

I took it understanding there was no exact reason he gave it to me.

I clutched my bag in my other hand as the knife was in my grip so tight my knuckles were white.

His hand came to the small of my back as exotic yet completely nude dancers moved across tables.

I'd been to one strip club but this was... nuder.

Absolutely no lingerie, pure young female genitalia on full display as some men smiled when they'd squat down and fully open their legs, giving a wild view.

I swallowed, oddly off put by it as they also seemed free to touch without consequence.

"What is this business?" I asked.

"Stay with me." He said, walking closer to me as eyes found me in my dress.

I felt distressed. Wrong, around these men who looked like pure evil.

Drugs were injected and ingested. Sex was open and displayable anywhere I looked.

I felt oddly overwhelmed.

"Andrei I don't like it." I mumbled.

It was hot. Sweaty. Smelt like sweat. Sex. Cigarettes. Weed.

Everything.

"You can go." He said kindly but his face was hard and I didn't want to displease him.

I didn't want him to go home and tell his sons he was right about how women don't belong here.

I felt embarrassed.

"What's this business?"

"Trafficking." He answered.

I went wide eyed.

I felt my blood run hot under my skin as I looked around at the naked women, some with smiles on their faces but mascara streaks down their faces.

Some had swollen eyes but the lights in here rotated between red and blue so it was hard to see.

"Human?" I asked.

"Yes. Not mine." He said.

"Why am I here?" I swallowed as he sat at a table.

"I don't understand." He frowned.

"I need air. Uhm can I go outside?" I pointed upward.

He shrugged, nodding.

I turned on my heel, walking so quickly to the stairs, clutching the knife.

I grabbed my phone, calling Hale.

"Baby, everything okay?"

"No. I don't want to be here." I whispered.

"Give me five." He said and hung up.

I went out the main door and hid in the depth of the parking garage to keep in the dark.

I was fine.

I calmed myself.

I was fine.

Guilt filled me. For running while those girls had to remain.

Vile.

Did they have children there?

What was the youngest age on the stages?

And I heard two, loud, roaring vehicles.

The drive was 20.

It's been 5.

"Nora!" Lore yelled and I walked out of the garage.

Two, tall, helmeted men were looking around and I fully left the garage and they came up to me, lifting the eye shield of their helmets.

"What's wrong?" Hale asked.

"I don't want to be here tonight. I'm sorry. I can't do it." I shook my head.

"It's okay babydoll. Why in the fuck are you holding a knife?" Hale grabbed it from my hand.

"Can we leave I'm cold." I frowned.

Lores hands were under my armpits lifting me so my legs were around his waist and arms around his helmeted neck.

He held under my thighs as he sat on his bike and I froze.

"Shouldn't I be on the back?"

"You're wearing a dress, I don't want the exhaust to burn you and I don't have a spare helmet. Put your head to my chest, baby."

I did, tightening the grip of my thighs around his waist.

And he began driving.

Fast.

Hale was beside us, I'd occasionally open my eyes and see his helmet turned in our direction.

But the second they slowed and the purring of the bikes relaxed, Lore got me off and set me on my feet as he removed his helmet.

"Wanna talk about it?" Hale asked, coming behind me and kissing my shoulder.

"Not tonight. I don't have my thoughts or feelings together." I mumbled.

"Okay. What do you need?"

"Food."

"Done, how does our mom's homemade chicken and dumplings sound?" Lore asked.

"Good."

And I was taken inside.